Hamirpur: Amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a nationwide mock drill was planned under the Civil Defence Act by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) across 244 districts.
The last time such extensive drills were organised was during high-tension periods following the Kargil war and after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The concept of civil defence mock drills originated in the United Kingdom during the early 20th century, particularly in response to the aerial attacks during World War l and ll. Later, it was adopted by other countries.
These drills are designed to ensure that everyone should be aware of what to do in a real emergency. In the event of an actual emergency, everyone should know how to act quickly, safely and efficiently.
Such drills are useful to familiarise individuals with emergency procedures, identifying weak spots and improving coordination among people because “preparedness saves lives”.
During the mock drill, people might encounter brief power outages, mobile signal disruptions and traffic rerouting. Authorities could carry out evacuation drills and make public announcements. In certain regions, police and paramilitary forces may stage simulations of a war-like scenario.
The need of the hour is to carry out such drills effectively so that the purpose of preparedness for any sort of disasters can be efficiently achieved.
Anupama Sharma
